Connect Great Barr with Slow Ways

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Great Barr

West Midlands


Slow Ways linking Great Barr and Birmingham, Smethwick, Stone Cross, Streetly, Sutton Coldfield, Walsall, West Bromwich

England / West Midlands / Great Barr

Great Barr’s seven Slow Ways are 61% checked

Drawn: 7/7
reviewed: 7/7
verified: 4/7
and surveyed: 0/7

Help connect Great Barr

Many Slow Ways have several route options. Some will be better than others, or good for different reasons.

Our goal is for each Slow Way to have at least one route that is verified and surveyed. To be verified – and get its snail badge – a route needs at least three positive reviews.

Give a hike and help get a for every one of Great Barr’s Slow Ways.

Walk to Great Barr from further afield

Slow Way Route To do
Great Barr—Birmingham
Grebir one Review me Distance 13km/8mi Ascent 133m Descent 107m
Great Barr—Birmingham
Grebir two Survey me Distance 11km/7mi Ascent 120m Descent 149m
Great Barr—Streetly
Grestr one

Double check Distance 7km/4mi Ascent 114m Descent 92m
Great Barr—Streetly
Grestr two Verify me Distance 8km/5mi Ascent 134m Descent 113m
Great Barr—Sutton Coldfield
Gresut one

Double check Distance 14km/9mi Ascent 186m Descent 200m
Great Barr—Sutton Coldfield
Gresut two Survey me Distance 9km/6mi Ascent 126m Descent 142m
Smethwick—Great Barr
Smegre one Verify me Distance 8km/5mi Ascent 88m Descent 93m
Stone Cross—Great Barr
Stogre one

Double check Distance 4km/3mi Ascent 54m Descent 50m
Stone Cross—Great Barr
Stogre two Verify me Distance 4km/3mi Ascent 54m Descent 50m
Walsall—Great Barr
Walgre one Review me Distance 7km/4mi Ascent 108m Descent 80m
Walsall—Great Barr
Walgre two Survey me Distance 8km/5mi Ascent 103m Descent 75m
Walsall—Great Barr
Walgre three Review me Distance 7km/4mi Ascent 119m Descent 93m
West Bromwich—Great Barr
Wesgre one

Double check Distance 7km/4mi Ascent 81m Descent 92m
West Bromwich—Great Barr
Wesgre two

Double check Distance 7km/4mi Ascent 81m Descent 93m
West Bromwich—Great Barr
Wesgre three Survey me Distance 7km/5mi Ascent 95m Descent 108m

Fancy stretching your legs a bit more?

If you’ve polished off all of the routes between Great Barr and its neighbours, how about walking its whole web?

This includes the great ring of routes that join its neighbours to each other!

Collective progress

57% of Great Barr’s seven route options are drawn, reviewed, surveyed and/or verified

15/15

drawn

15/15

reviewed

0/15

surveyed

4/15

verified

8 people have contributed to Great Barr’s Slow Ways

4 people have pledged to walk and review a route

0 people have surveyed a route in Great Barr

122km out of 122km have been walked and reviewed

243km of reviews have been shared in Great Barr

Latest Updates

Another good sloways route easy to follow taking in Red House Park first before picking up the Beacon Way onto Barr Beacon with great views all round before ending in Streetly. Can be muddy along the Beacon Way part after rain....

Nigel Cull

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Another interesting Slow Ways starting from Great Barr along the busy Newton Road before going through quite streets joining the Tame Valley Canal....

Nigel Cull

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You start in Walsall town centre through quiet residential streets then crossing into Walsall arboretum joining the Rushall Canal for a nice long tow path route passing locks....

Nigel Cull

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Steve Litchfield took this photo on Grebir one

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Leaving Great Barr seems to happen very quickly via brief mixtures of alleyways and suburban roads (photo 1) and in next to no time you reach the Tame Valley Canal. The initial section along the canal offers fantastic views towards Birmingham and the surrounds due to it's high elevation and is a great start to the canal walking. From here it's a three mile walk into the centre of Birmingham, and the canal reflects this as you pass through industrial estates....

Steve Litchfield

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Steve Litchfield took this photo on Walgre two

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The first third could be described as the route to the canal, and I was pleased that quite quickly the route left the urban centre of Walsall (photo 1) to reach the arboretum (photo 2). There are no gates, stiles or major obstacles en route, and felt nice walking in this direction, leaving Walsall behind, walking down the flight of locks with nice views ahead, and into the leafy suburb of Great Barr....

Steve Litchfield

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Leading Into Sandwell Valley and follows the Beacon Way past Swan Pool, then crosses Park Lane past Forge Mill Lake best part of the walk Plenty of birds to see around the lakes and seats for a break to sit and watch on a good day...

Nigel Cull

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Out the back of the Arboretum, you join a long stretch of canal, then a path through a field, a tree-lined path alongside a tiny stream of water and shortly across into Red House Park....

Lindsey Morgan

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Lindsey Morgan took this photo on Walgre two

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Leaving the meeting point at Sutton Coldfield, we follow Upper Clifton Road down the hill and turn right onto Park Road, continuing through the gates into Sutton Park. At Old Oscott Hill we turn right and follow this road past the schools and round the bend to a roundabout, where we turn right into Dyas Road....

Hugh Hudson

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At a pelican crossing, we cross to Hamstead Road, which we cross then turn right down it, turning left into Hembs Crescent and going straight on into Johns Grove, where we enter the Sandwell Valley park and follow the cycle track left. The shortest way up to it uses a flight of steps, and we continue up the hill and past the war memorial to emerge on Reform Street, where we turn left, crossing the A41 bridge and going half right over a pelican crossing into Bull Street....

Hugh Hudson

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Taking you through Sandwell Valley Country Park and easy to follow very enjoyable...

Nigel Cull

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Found Path had a locked gates so no access along Handsworth Drive plus no underpass or footbridge over M6 motorway. Use Gresut two as this is a shorter route and approved Slow Way...

Nigel Cull

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Wesgre 1 can be followed using common sense but the plotting is very vague - for instance taking a long diagonal crossing of Newton Road, a fast moving dual carriageway near the end point at Great Barr, crossing the river in Sandwell Country Park where there is no bridge. 3 stars because the pop mapping is outweighed by the very pleasant surroundings of the main section of the walk....

Dave4

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See review of Wesgre 1 of which this seems to be a duplicate....

Dave4

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This is a really pleasant walk and,, apart from a little pavement plodding at either end, is surprisingly rural for the majority of the route taking in municipal parkland and the Sandwell Valley Country Park. Much of the route follows The Beacon Way, footpaths are firm and well surfaced and take you alongside the River Tame past lakes and quite close to 2 urban farms and an RSPB centre. Both ends of the walk provide opportunities for food and drink and access to public transport links....

Dave4

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Having left the main road, there is a short residential section which delivers you via kissing gate into Sandwell Valley Nature Reserve. Having crossed Park Lane, a fast but not very busy road you then go round Swan Pool in Sandwell Valley Country Park. From the edge of the park it's pavements and crossings all the way to the home straight of West Bromwich High Street....

David Sanderson

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West Bromwich—Great Barr

David Sanderson added Wesgre three, a new walk from West Bromwich to Great Barr

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The tin hat had to be the final section which, rather than following the High Street to the Bus Station, deliberately puts you on a side of the road with initially no pavement, and then a pavement clearly designed to deter pedestrians....

David Sanderson

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Route at West Bromwich end is on wrong side of the road...

David Sanderson

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Good direct route though Sutton Park, easy to follow and suitable for all users....

Nigel Cull

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Great Barr—Streetly

David Sanderson added Grestr two, a new walk from Great Barr to Streetly

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The next section follows Chapel Lane, first as a residential street and then, having crossed Walsall Road via the pedestrian crossing, as a country lane. There is a short section of lane walking, but the traffic is calmed and I found local drivers to be considerate. There is a short section through woods and a road to cross....

David Sanderson

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David Sanderson took this photo on Grestr two

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3 Bridle Lane, although direct, has no pavement and there is a less direct but much safer alternative via Barr Beacon...

David Sanderson

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David Sanderson took this photo on Grestr one

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Having left the High Street via the footbridge across the main road you wander through the residential streets of north Smethwick which become increasingly industrial before, within sight of the West Brom Ground (the highest above sea level in England) you turn left to join the greenway that runs alongside the Metro (tram) line. (I have walked this path dozens of times and this was the first time it had flooded) The final section through suburban Great Barr avoids the main road for as long as possible....

David Sanderson

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David Sanderson took this photo on Smegre one

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The first section of the walk follows the pavement of the A4031 Walsall Road, a dual carriageway so this is not the most pleasant section of the walk. It is just as you can see the M6 and M5 interchange loom in the distance that the peaceful straight aqueduct of the Tame Valley offers you escape. The walk from there is an unusual experience as the canal crosses the Tame Valley, the tiny river unnoticed below. Having crossed the valley, the canal passes a junction for the Rushall Canal and then under the M6....

David Sanderson

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A superb Slow Way but one I thought could be improved by walking straight across Red House Park rather than looping round Pages Lane. I realise that it's not obvious from the map that an entrance to the park is there but it is. Please read my review for Walgre 3...

David Sanderson

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David Sanderson took this photo on Walgre one

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Starting from Great Barr the route soon crosses the magnificent Red House Park and a path through woods leads to road which passes under the M6. The route is mainly by residential pavement as far as Delves Green....

David Sanderson

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David Sanderson took this photo on Walgre three

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Canal can not be reached via road suggested by route (it passes under the aqueduct by some distance ) Use newer version of route which is corrected...

David Sanderson

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Stone Cross—Great Barr

David Sanderson added Stogre two, a new walk from Stone Cross to Great Barr

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Walsall—Great Barr

David Sanderson added Walgre three, a new walk from Walsall to Great Barr

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There are crossing points for the main roads and plenty of local shops on route....

Mr Tippy

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There were no bits of the walk I didn't enjoy and it was great walking through some parks (especially Handsworth Wood). It was nice ending next to the Scott Arms because a bus stop is right next to the meeting point. It was a great walk :). Would be happy to recommend to any walker in the area!...

Theobeyeroflife

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Having passed Perry Barr railway station (currently closed for refurbishment) you come to One Stop Shopping Centre where there is a massive range of shops, access to a multitude of bus routes and a pub. You cross the Old Walsall Road and continue on into the park opposite, eventually crossing the river again and emerging opposite Hamstead Railway Station. Rather than continuing along and up the Old Walsall Road you continue along Hamstead Road before crossing and heading up a parallel road, Spouthouse Lane, which passes under Spouthouse Aqueduct. Beyond the wooded paths of the reserve are the residential pavements of Great Barr and an alleyway leads you out on to the Queslett Road opposite the meeting place. Direct, safe (crossings for all busy roads), well served (at Aston, Perry Barr and Hamstead), links to major arterial bus routes and three railway stations....

David Sanderson

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David Sanderson took this photo on Grebir two

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There are regular opportunities to link up with buses and the it passes both Perry Barr and Hamstead railway stations (Perry Barr is currently closed for reconstruction). The Perry Barr area is currently (Aug 2021) being redeveloped in readiness for the Commonwealth Games in 2022....

Dave4

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The route is really easy to follow and all the road crossings are via pedestrian crossings with the exception of the M6 which is by underpass. The only problem I had with the route was on Calshot Road where my GPX told me I was off the route when I clearly wasn't. In summary, it's direct, very safe, very easy to follow, very well served by food and transport services and beautiful in parts....

David Sanderson

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Great Barr—Sutton Coldfield

David Sanderson added Gresut two, a new walk from Great Barr to Sutton Coldfield

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Great Barr—Birmingham

David Sanderson added Grebir two, a new walk from Great Barr to Birmingham

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Smethwick—Great Barr

peperkoekdame added Smegre one, a new walk from Smethwick to Great Barr

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Stone Cross—Great Barr

David Emerson added Stogre one, a new walk from Stone Cross to Great Barr

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Great Barr—Birmingham

Slow Ways added Grebir one, a new walk from Great Barr to Birmingham

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Great Barr—Streetly

Slow Ways added Grestr one, a new walk from Great Barr to Streetly

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Great Barr—Sutton Coldfield

Slow Ways added Gresut one, a new walk from Great Barr to Sutton Coldfield

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Walsall—Great Barr

Slow Ways added Walgre one, a new walk from Walsall to Great Barr

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Walsall—Great Barr

Slow Ways added Walgre two, a new walk from Walsall to Great Barr

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West Bromwich—Great Barr

Slow Ways added Wesgre one, a new walk from West Bromwich to Great Barr

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West Bromwich—Great Barr

Slow Ways added Wesgre two, a new walk from West Bromwich to Great Barr

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1

Great Barr, Fri 29 March

12°

Cloudy

Great Barr’s Slow Ways starting point

Grid ref

SP0449194206

Lat / Lon

52.54570° / -1.93520°

Easting / Northing

404,491E / 294,206N

Fancy stretching your legs a bit more?

If you’ve polished off all of the routes between Great Barr and its neighbours, how about walking its whole web?

This includes the great ring of routes that join its neighbours to each other!

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